Universal joint



7 y 9 c. E. SWENSON Re. 21,507

UNIVERSAL JOINT Original Filed Dec. 9, 1932 p "gm Reiuued July 9, 1940UNITED STATES 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved universal joint of the typeembodying trunnions journalled in roller bearings, wherein each of thetrunnion bearings, comprising, a bearing cup and bearing 5 rollerstherein, is of unitary construction to facilitate assembling and makefor handiness as well as economy in replacement or repair, where in thebearing rollers of each bearing are retained in assembled relationtherein by means of a retainer ring pressed into a counterbore in theopen end of the bearing, and wherein there is provided between the endof the cup and the bore of the trunnion, an annular recess for the reception of a packing ring to seal the bearing against loss of lubricant. Itis the principal object of the present invention to provide a universaljoint of this type which combines maximum efliciency of dirt exclusionand lubricant retention with maximum simplicity of construction andminimum manufacturing cost. To this end, the invention contemplates ajoint of the type specified wherein the bearing roller retaining ring isformed integrally with a cylindrical skirt having the triple function offorming a press flt connection with the bearing, supporting theperiphery of the packing ring so that the latter may be projected beyondthe end of the bearing cup, and closely telescoping into asleeve that ispressed onto the spider about the base of the trunnion so as to form acentrifugal seal for excluding dirt from access to the packing.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a universal Joint made in accordance with myinvention, showing one trun-' nion bearing in longitudinal cross-sectionand another in transverse section; i

Fig. 2 is an enlargement of that portion of Fig. 1 showing thelongitudinal section; and

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the bearing parts appearing in Fig. 2.

The invention is illustrated in connection with a universal jointconstructed somewhat along the lines disclosed in my application SerialNo. 5 615,496, filed June 6, 1932,issued as Patent No.

1,985,531 December 25, 1934. A pair of yokes or terminal couplingmembers, shown at 4 and I, are connected by means of an intermediatetransmission member or spider 6, providing four trunnions 1, ninetydegrees apart. The trunnions I are journalled in bearings B, each yokebeing equipped with one pair of these bearings in diametrically opposedrelation. Each bearing B comprises a bearing cup 8 having a cylindricalinner bore or bearing wall 20 and a plurality of Ill , Re.--2l,507

' PATENT oFFics UNIVERSAL JOINT Carl E. Swenson, Rockford, Ill.,assignor, by mesne assignments, to Borg-Warner corpora-- tion, Chicago,111., a corporation of Illinois Original No. 2,113,998, dated April 12,1938, Se-

rial No. 646,432, December 9, 1932. Application for reissue'Aprii 8,1940, Serial No. 328,560

. bearing rollers l9 retained in assembled relationship in contact withthe bearing wall 20 by means of a retainer ring 25 which is mountedinthe bearing cup 8 in a manner which will be described hereinafter. Asdescribed in the aforesaid patent, the yokes are machine finished fortrue dynamic balance and have smooth seats 9 for abutment by flat facesll) provided on the backs of the bearing cups 8. The yokes are milled toprovide radial slots I I for reception of radial lugs 12 on the bearingcups, and are boredon opposite sides of the slots II to receive bolts I3which are threaded in holes in the lugs l4 formed on the bearing cups,whereby to clamp the latter to the yokes. The interfitting lugs andslots assume the torque load transmitted between the yokes. Shoulders l5are provided on the yokes for engagement with the surfaces I6 on thebearing cups 8 to assume the centrifugal loads developed in the bearingunder operation, the trunnipns 1 "ing disposed with the ends thereof intlfiust be ring engagement with the inner surfaces il of'the end wallsID of the bearing cups 8. The bolts 13 are, therefore, relieved ofcentrifugal and torque loads and serve primarily to clamp the bearingcups to the yoke members.

The trunnion bearings B instead of being plain journal bearings, havethe anti-friction rollers is which make foreasier and smoother operationa and consequently more efficient power transmission and longer life.The rollers I! have rolling engagement with the cylindrical bearingsurface la of the trunnion I on the one hand, and on the other hand withthe inner bearing wall 20 of the bearing cup 8. Each trunnion I isformed with an inner wall comprising the cylindrical bearing portion loand a base portion lb flaring outwardly into an integral shoulder 10,and an outer wall 29.

Thebearing cup 8 is formed with a counterbore 28 of larger diameter thanthe bore or bearing wall and separated therefrom by an offset slimilder26a. Pressed into the counterbore 26 is a retainer ring 25. The retainerring 25 includes (I a cylindrical skirt portion 25b and a radiallyinwardly extending flange 25o together cooperating with the innertrunnion wall todeflne a substantially closed annular. space in which isreceived a packing ring 21 of any suitable compressible resilientpacking material, such as cork.

The radial flange 25a projects substantially across the annular: spacebetween the bearing walls la and 20. This projecting portion of theretainer ring has the dual function of supporting ll roller space and oimaintaining the rollers in proper cooperative relationship to thebearing walls In and 20, i. e., preventing the rollers rom longitudinalmovement. Thus the packing 21 is protected against the rollers digginginto the packing. The flange 25a also. cooperates with the rollers inholding them in assembled relationship in the bearing cup when thelatter is removed from the trunnion. Such retension of the rollers maybe made more secure if desired by the provision of reduced ends 2| and22 on the rollers, a channel-shaped groove 23 in the end wall i8 oi. thebearing and an inturned lip 24 on the inner extremity oi the flange 25a.The groove 23 is made wider than the diameter of the ends 2| because itis intended only to serve as the retaining recess for the ends of therollers to maintain the latter against dropping out of the bearing cupwhen the cup is removed from the trunnion. In

, other words, it is not intended to have the ends 2| of the rollersderive bearing support in the grooves 23 in operation of the joint.

The packing ring 21 is inserted in the retainer ring 25 before thebearing is slipped over the trunnion, and is arranged to be subjected toa certain amount of compression when the bearing is brought into itsfinal assembled position, thus serving to seal the bearing against lossof lubricant or entry of dirt. The packing ring is adapt ed to makesealing contact with the inner trunnion wall, including both thecylindrical portion In and the'fiared portion lb thereof.

In accordance with the present invention only a portion of the packingring is received within the bearing cup 8, and the retainer ring 25 isadapted to serve not only as a means of retaining the rollers l9 butalso as a means for housing the packing ring 21, and providing supportfor the projecting portion thereof, and, in addition, as a part of adirt shield for the bearing. With that object in view, the outer end ofthe skirtportion 25b is projected appreciably from the counterbore 26beyond the ends of the bearing cup as indicated at 28, to form the innerpart of the dirt shield, and the outer wall 291s projected beyond theshoulder 10 toward the end of the trunnion 1 in radially spacedrelationship to the base portion lbof the inner trunnion wall so as todefine therewith a single annular channel-accommodat ing the projectingportion 28 of the retainer ring and the packing therein. Thewall 29forms the outer wall of this space, the inner'wall thereof being theintegral inner wall surface of the trunnion. against which the packingring makes sealing contact with a maximum of sealing efflciency.

The skirt portion 22 is closely telescoped in the outer trunnion wall 29so as to form a centrifugal seal. That is, the close telescoping of thewall 2! over the projecting portion 28 of the retainer ring skirt 25b,makes centrifugal force effective in keeping out dirt and water, becauseany dirt or water getting on the wall 25 will naturally be thrownoutwardly and will therefore have no opportunity to work its way inbetween the wall 29- and the skirt 25b and eventually into the bear--ing. Thus the principal function of the packing ring 21 is merely thatof retaining lubricant.

That portion of the skirt 25b which does not project beyond the bore 26,has the function of maintaining frictional contact with the bore 26 soasto secure the ring 25 in'place.

The outer trunnion wall 29 is in the form of a collar which is separatefrom the trunnion and.

21,507 the packing ring 21 against extrusion into the the, centrifugalse'al around the projecting skirt mounted upon the shoulder 1c of thetrunnion, having a press fit connection with the cylindrical peripheralsurface 30 of the shoulder with its end in abutment with a shoulder 31defining the end of the cylindrical surface 30. The shoulder 5 2|locates the collar in predetermined relation to the bearing anddetermines the proper amount of telescoping.

. By employing a separate collar, the outer trunnion wall may be made ofminimum thickness in proportion to its extent of projection beyond theshoulder l1 without sacrificing strength. It also makes it possible tosecure a smooth machining operation on the inner trunnion wall,eliminating difficulties that would be experienced if attempt were madeto machine a channel axially into the shoulder 14:.

It makes it possible to provide an annular channel of ample dimensionsin the base of the trunnion, adapted to receive both the retainer skirtand the packing ring. To attempt to pro vide such a channel by machiningthe same in the trunnion shoulder, would require considerable increasein the diameter of the shoulder, which would be objectionable,

There are several important advantages of projecting both the packingand the retainer skirt beyond the end of the bearing cup, and formingportion. By accommodating only a portion of the axial depth of thepacking within the bearing cup, the area of bearing surface within thecup, and the length of the rollers, is increased without sacrificing thehighly desirable axial depth of the packing ring. Such axial depthprovides for ample sealing area and sufficient compressibility. Thisadvantage is attained without increasing the axial depth of the cup.Conversely, for a given roller-length, the length of the cup may bereduced, thus effecting a definite saving in material cost.

0n the other hand, projecting the packing ring beyond the end of thebearing cup does not require any material increase in the overall axialdimension of the trunnion and bearing assembly, since the projectingregion of the packing simply occupies space within the centrifugalseal, 1. e., both lie in a common radial plane.

Another important advantage of forming the seal between the collar 29and the projecting skirt portion 28 is the elimination of the necessityfor machining the end of the bearing cup 8 to provide a cylindricalflange capable of being telescoped into the outer trunnion wall. To formsuch a flange would require cutting back the end of the lug l2, thusobjectionably shortening the lug and requiring an added operation whichlikewise would be objectionable.

I claim: i

l. A universal jointtrunnion bearingassembly comprising a bearing havinga cylindrical inner wall, a trunnion member having spaced coaxial walls,the outer of said trunnion walls being in the form of a collar. separatefrom and mounted upon a shoulder formed integrally withthe trunnion,bearing rollers engaging said bearing wall and the'inner of saidtrunnion member walls and holding them coaxial, means cooperating withsaid bearing for maintaining said rollers in cooperative relation tosaid inner walls, packing means spaced from the outer of said trunnionmember walls and cooperating with said roller maintaining means inproviding a seal between said bearing and said inner trunnion wall, saidpacking means and the rolle maintaining means being received in anannular space deilned between radially opposed regions of said trunnionwalls. and said packing means being in contact with said inner trunnionwall and being under compression in the assembled joint, said rollermaintaining means being closely telmcoped in the outer 0'! said trunnionmember walls to shield said packing means.

2. A universal joint trunnion bearing assembly comprising a bearinghaving a cylindrical inner wall, a trunnion member having spaced coaxialwalls. the outer of-said trunnion walls being in the form of a collarseparate from and mounted upon a shoulder formed integrally with thetrunnion. bearing rollers engaging said bearing wall and the inner ofsaid trunnion member walls and holding them coaidal, means cooperatingwith said bearing for maintaining said rollers in cooperative relationto said inner walls, packing means spaced from the outer of saidtrunnion member walls and cooperating with said roller maintaining meansin providing a seal between said bearing and said inner trunnion wall,said packing means and the roller maintaining means being received in anannular space defined between radially opposed regions of said trunnionwalls and said packing means being in contact with said inner trunnionwall andbeing under in the assembled joint, said-rollermaintaining meansbeing clouly telescoped with the outer oi said trunnion member walls toshield said packing means, the telescoping portions being so arrangedthat the surrounding portion extends radially outwardly beyond the innerend of surrounded portion. i

3. A universal joint trunnion bearing assembly comprising a trlmnionmember having an inner wall including a cylindrical bearing wall, abearing cup having a cylindrical interior hearing wall, bearing rollersengaged between said bearing walls, a retainer ring mounted in the endof said bearing cup, said ring having a cylindrical skirt portion diallyinwardly and cooperating with said bearing rollers for maintaining themin assembled relationship in the cup, aring oi packing materialsupported in said retainer ring and in sealing contact therewith and"with said inner trunnion wall under compression to provide a seal forretaining lubricant in the space occupied by said bearing rollers, saidpacking ring and skirt both projecting beyond the end 01' the bearingcup, said trunnionhaving a structurally independent collar coaxial withsaid inner trunnion wall and spaced radially therefrom to define,together with a radially opposed portion thereof, an annular channel inwhich both said packing ring and skirt are received, said skirt beingclosely telescoped in said collar to shield the packing ring.

4. A universal joint trunnion bearing assembly comprising\a trunnionmember having an inner wall including a cylindrical bearing wall and, atthe base of said trunnion, a wall portion flaring into an integralshoulder, a bearing cup having a cylindrical inner bearing wall, bearingrollers engaged between said inner walls, a retainer ring having acylindrical skirt portion pressed into the end of said bearing cup and aradial flange cooperating with said rollers for maintaining them inassembled relationship in-the cup, a ring of packing material supportedin said retainer ring and in sealing contact therewith and with saidinner trunnion well under compression to provide a seal for retaininglubricant in the and a portion projecting ra-- space occupied by saidbearing rollers, said packing ring and skirt both projecting beyond theend or the bearing cup, said trunnion member including a structurallyindependent collar pressed upon said shoulder and projecting therebeyondto deiine, together with a radially opposed portion oi said innertrunnion wall, an annular channel in which both said skirt and saidpacking ring are received. said. skirt being closely telescoped insaidcollar to form a centrifugal seal for excluding dirt from the packingring.

5. A universal joint tnmnion bearing assem bly comprising a trunnionmember having an inner wall including -a cylindrical bearing wall, and,at the base of the trunnion, a wall portion naring into integralshoulder, a bearing cup having a cylindrical. interior bearing wall,bearing rollers engaged between said bearing 'walls, a retainer ringmounted in the end of said bearing cup, said ring having a cylindricalskirt portion and a portion. projecting radially inwardly andcooperating with .said bearing rollers for maintaining them in assembledrelationship in the cup, a ringoi packing material supported ln-saidretainer ring and in sealing contact therewith and with both thecylindrical and the flaring portions or said inner trunnion wall undercomtrunnion inner wall, an annular channel in which both said skirtportion and said packing ring are received, said skirt being closelytelescoped in said collar to form therewith a centrifugal seal forexcluding dirt from said packing ring.

6..A"universal joint trunnion bearing assembly comprising a trunnionmember having at its base a radially outwardly projecting integralshoulder and having an inner wall including a cylindrical bearing wallportion and a portion flaring outwardly into said shoulder, a bearingcup having a .cylindrical interior bearing wall, having at its open enda counterbore of larger diameter than said interior bearing wall andhaving a shoulder intermediate said interior bearing wall and saidcounterbore, bearing rollers engaged between said bearing walls, aretainer ring having a cylindrical skirt portion pressed into saidcounterbore and having a flange seated against said shoulder andprojecting radially inwardly and cooperating with said rollers formaintaining them in assembled relationship in the cup, a ring of packingmaterial supported in said retainer ring and in sealing contacttherewith and with both the cylindrical and the flaring portions of saidinner trunnion wall under compression to provide a seal .for retaininglubricant in the space occupied by said rollers, said packing ring andskirt both projecting beyond the end of the bearing cup, and astructurally independent collar pressed upon said trunnion shoulder andprojecting therebeyond to define, together with a radially opposedportion of said trunnion inner wall, an annular channel in which bothsaid skirt portion and said packing ring are received, said skirt beingcloselytelescoped in said collar to form therewith a centrifugal sealfor excluding dirt from said packing ring.

CARL E. SWENS ON.

